ASUU-KASU Strike Vindicates My Position On Education — Ashiru

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Hon. Isa Ashiru, has said the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna State University chapter, has vindicated his earlier position on the failure of the Kaduna State Government to invest in education.

Ashiru, in a statement issued on Friday by his spokesman, Abdulwaheed Olayinka Adubi, said the current crisis at KASU was not unexpected and was a direct result of the widening gap between government pronouncements and the reality on ground.

The ADC candidate accused the Uba Sani-led administration of failing to meet its obligations to the education sector and of not implementing UNESCO recommendations and benchmarks for sustainable development.

“It is not enough for government to make impressive declarations on paper about education when the reality on the ground tells a completely different story. And this is the reason why the government fails to prevent the preventable ASUU-KASU strike,” the statement said.

“The ASUU-KASU strike is another clear indication that something is fundamentally wrong with the management of education in Kaduna State.”

Ashiru urged the state government to stop dismissing concerns raised by stakeholders and instead confront the challenges decisively.

He said the welfare of academic staff, adequate funding of universities, provision of infrastructure and a conducive learning environment should not be treated as political talking points, but as fundamental responsibilities of government.

“A responsible government does not wait for lecturers to embark on strike before it begins to acknowledge problems that have been repeatedly brought to its attention. Governance requires foresight, engagement and timely intervention,” he said.

The governorship hopeful also cautioned the administration against what he described as “a culture of denial and reactionary governance,” urging it to be more proactive in addressing emerging challenges before they degenerate into crises.

Ashiru called on the government to engage KASU-ASUU leadership in genuine negotiations, honour its commitments and take concrete steps to restore industrial harmony at the university.

He further demanded greater transparency in the management and allocation of resources meant for education, stressing that Kaduna cannot achieve meaningful development if its institutions continue to experience prolonged disruptions.

“Kaduna deserves a government that understands that education is an investment, not an expense. We must move beyond propaganda and paper achievements to measurable improvements that students, lecturers, parents and communities can actually see and feel,” he added.

Ashiru assured that the ADC would continue to advocate policies centred on quality education, institutional stability, accountability and human capital development.